But, just 11 games into the season, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are being split up.

“I told them I wasn’t going to split ’em up; I told you guys I wasn’t going to split ’em up,” Babcock told the Detroit Free Press. “Here we are 11 games in, I’m splitting them up.”

The play of Datsyuk and Zetterberg have nothing to do with the divorce, though.

Stephen Weiss, signed as a free agent in the summer to provide a spark to the second line, allowing the two Europeans to play together on the top line, has been a bust so far. He has just two goals (and no assists) on the season and the Red Wings have lost three in a row, including a 6-1 pounding by the Ottawa Senators.

“This falls on me,” Weiss told MLive.com. “You have to realize you’re a good hockey player and you’re here for a reason. Sometimes it’s tough battling yourself trying to get out of your own way. Even though you’re not trying to, you’re telling yourself all the right things and try not to think too much, but when you get out there, sometimes that’s all out the window.”

The Blue Jackets decided they would keep Murray instead of sending him back to junior. Earlier this week, Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen told the 20-year-old to “get a place” in the city, proof Murray wouldn’t be returned to Everett of the WHL.

“It’s been really smooth,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards told the Columbus Dispatch of Murray’s transition to the NHL. “Ryan’s made some youthful mistakes, but they come from really dominating the league he played in. Some of those are habits and you just do it, and sometimes it gets you out of position. When you’re playing at this level, with the strength and speed and size of these guys, you can’t recover. But there haven’t been too many of them. To me, he’s one guy who has really helped solidify our back end, which is really an impressive thing to say about a rookie.”

SCOTT HEARING SET

Buffalo Sabres forward John Scott’s suspension for a head hit on Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins was result in at least a three-game suspension.

Scott was suspended indefinitely for the hit Oct. 23, which left Eriksson with a concussion, and will have an in-person hearing in New York on Thursday to find out exactly how many games he will be banned. Scott will miss three games before the hearing but the suspension is expected to be longer.

Scott was given a match penalty for his blind-side hit on Eriksson, who is out indefinitely as well.

But Scott will not be treated as a repeat offender in the hearing.

FLYERS DEMOTE MCGINN

The Philadelphia Flyers sent Tye McGinn, the team’s top goal-scorer this season, to Adirondack of the AHL Friday.

McGinn was sent to the minors to make room for forward Scott Hartnell, who will return Saturday after missing the past four games with an upper-body injury.

McGinn, 23, has three goals in just four games. But he failed to record a shot in his last two games while playing on a line with Brayden Schenn and Jake Voracek.

KALETA STILL THINKING

Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta hasn’t decided if he’ll file a final appeal of his 10-game suspension, according to the Buffalo News.

Kaleta’s suspension for a head hit to Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Jack Johnson was upheld Thursday by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman but there is one more avenue he can pursue before the matter is closed — an appeal to a neutral discipline arbitrator. Kaleta has less than a week to decide if he will file his final appeal or let it drop.

Should Kaleta opt to use the arbitrator, which is his right under the terms of the CBA, any decision would ”be final and binding in all respects and not subject to review.”

BRIEFLY

The Chicago Blackhawks called up forward Jeremy Morin from Rockford of the AHL, agreed to terms with forward Brad Mills on a one-year deal and promoted him to the big club. The Hawks also placed defenceman Mike Kostka on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 22 ... The Dallas Stars sent defenceman Aaron Rome to Texas of the AHL after he cleared waivers Friday. Rome has played just three games this season, all with Texas during a rehab assignment ... The Phoenix Coyotes put forward Lauri Korpikoski on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and called up Tim Kennedy from Portland of the AHL. It’s unknown how long Korpikoski will be out ... The Minnesota Wild called up goalie Johan Gustafsson from Iowa of the AHL to replace Josh Harding, who was hurt Thursday against Carolina. Gustafsson, 21, was a sixth-round pick of the Wild in 2010 ... Defenceman Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins won’t have a disciplinary hearing for his high hit on San Jose Sharks forward Tommy Wingels Thursday. Wingels left the game with an injury but Chara wasn’t penalized ... New York Rangers forward Benoit Pouliot also avoided a hearing for his hit on Max Talbot of the Philadelphia Flyers despite being given a major penalty for boarding.